On the night of Thursday, March 25, the iconic Sydney Opera House was lit in white and blue to mark the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek Revolution and as a token of recognition of the contribution of the Greek-Australian community in New South Wales.
The Premier of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, in her greeting said that this was a fitting opportunity to thank the Greek-Australian community and to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Greek Independence.
“The hard work and sacrifices made by the Greek-Australians in New South Wales are admirable. We are proud to share this moment of history with you,” said Gladys Berejiklian, “Tonight we celebrate the important influence of Greek culture, especially here in New South Wales.”
On his part, New South Wales Minister for Multiculturalism, Geoff Lee, said he was proud of the way Australians of Greek descent had settled and prospered in the NSW.
“There are over 132,000 people of Greek descent in the NSW,” said Lee, “who helped make our State the prosperous place it is today.”
Noting the contribution of Greek-Australians, from the establishment of successful businesses to their success in many fields, he thanked them for promoting social cohesion and community harmony in New South Wales as reported by vema.com.au.
Finally, Archbishop Makarios of Australia, who was represented at the ceremony by Archimandrite Christoforos Krikelis, welcomed the fact that the Greek-Australian community of New South Wales is recognized by the State Government in such an important circumstance.
“We glorify God who deems us worthy to celebrate the 200th anniversary of this historic day, highlighting what has been indelibly engraved in the collective consciousness of our people, the inseparable relationship of our Greek Nation with our Orthodox Faith,” said the Archbishop in his greeting.
He also pointed out: “This relationship has developed further over the years and includes our new homeland, Australia, which we thank for embracing us and connecting forever.”